


Spirits of NYU

by Pythonmelon



Category: Extreme Ghostbusters (Cartoon), The Real Ghostbusters
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 05:05:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13674837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pythonmelon/pseuds/Pythonmelon
Summary: Taking place between the events of Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters, this is a short series of flashbacks covering Egon's relationship with Edward Karilian (Heart of Darkness, Extreme Ghostbusters) and how they came to split up.





	Spirits of NYU

It wasn't a miracle he'd gotten his job back. When the well of spectral activity in Manhattan dried up, there was still the long-reestablished department of Paranormal Study at the University of New York, and they could always use experts and evidence. Egon had the reputation, and the containment unit. It was really all he needed to put on his reapplication  
.  
Of course, as time went on his reputation would begin to collapse, but he only needed it to get the job in the first place. It paid enough for him to eat and keep the power on at the firehouse, and it was pleasantly nostalgic. Give a lecture to a class of three hundred on quantum physics and do some demonstrations, give a lecture to four or less on paranormal study. The physics kept him employed, the paranormal studies kept him happy. It kept his passions alive and it was what he had now, as Winston, then Peter, then Ray left one by one for other careers and better pay after long, empty days that turned up nothing but final notices and red bills. 

This had been the time when he still wore his pompadour. Even in the eighties it had been out of style, but at the time it felt like part of him. As the Ghostbusters disappeared, it became more and more of a reminded. And men with ponytails was coming into fashion- he was glad he had a head start on that trend. Besides, the pompadour didn’t look as good on a man in his mid-thirties as it did on a hot young twentysomething that was full of energy.  
There was another professor of the theoretical and paranormal when he arrived, and that was more surprising than anything. He was physics and religious history focused, bearing years of research, following the Ghostbusters’ work- he knew Egon. It was the first time he’d ever seen someone really distinguished in this department. 

Edward Karilian had handsome silver-grey hair that cascaded down his shoulders and half-moon spectacles that softened an otherwise hard, well defined face. He was a twice-divorcee from New Jersey who poured six figures from buying and selling antiques into the lab's funding and spent a clear majority of his time here. He practically lived at UNY, and there was no way for Egon to avoid his company.

He really wouldn’t have had it any other way, after a time.

~~~

Karilian filled his time both in and outside of the university. Aside from Janine, he was the only person by the end of the 80’s that Egon had to turn to. He was the only one he could research privately with, the only one anymore who listened willingly when he discussed paranormal studies. One of the few who hadn't decided he and his colleagues were scam artists or, worse, lunatics. 

He didn't feel bad for spending more time with the older professor, either. Janine was his closest friend in the world, but science was not where her passions lay. She could listen, and she could bust ghosts just as well as anyone, and she was amazing at paperwork, but the study wasn't her expertise the same way notary work wasn't his.

And, perhaps there was something a little beyond that.

"I know there are lots of skeptics out there, Egon," Karilian said into his coffee, sitting across from the younger professor in the well-lit corner of Gotham City Cafe one afternoon. His creamy brown eyes tracked Egon's expression, watching it change only minutely. Dr. Spengler was a hard man to read, but Edward Karilian wouldn't be deterred. He'd open Egon like a book. "But you and I, we're both believers, aren't we?"

The younger man stared for a long moment before looking back down at his drink. He took a sip, pushing a few pages of his book on interpretations and appearances of the Four Horsemen before closing it. “Well, you’ve tracked our old TV spots- I have firsthand experience in these things. You should see the firehouse sometime, I’m still maintaining the firehouse and have all of our old equipment.” 

Karilian smiled into his own drink before setting it aside properly, propping his chin in one hand, elbow on the table. “Of course. It’s a shame, that that’s been forgotten or ignored by so many.” 

“It seems to be a cycle that we go through. If people don’t want to believe in ghosts, they won’t. At least never for very long.” Egon stirred a hand in the air tiredly. 

“Yes. And your… friend, Janine?”

“Of course. She’s been an absolute asset to our work for years. She had plenty of experience with the paranormal.” 

Well, the older professor had exactly the answer he thought he needed. But she’s not quite so involved in the strange, what people would consider the sick or unnatural. Not as much as you are, Dr. Spengler?” 

This time Egon shut the rest of the books before him, making eye contact with Edward for a moment before looking everywhere but his face. He was pretty sure he knew what his fellow professor was asking, the same way he knew when Peter asked with a metaphor about his hair around two years ago. 

It took a long moment to think, and Karilian noticed. He moved to drop a cube of sugar into Egon’s coffee. “You know, as I am.” 

Well, then. He stared at the coffee before stirring it and taking a drink. “…No, the unnatural is not where her interests really lie. It is… where mine is.” 

“See, Egon, I respect that. I’ve seen your work, I’ve seen how you are. And, you know what… I'd be happy to fund your research, Egon. This is the sort of thing, you, I have been dreaming of for years. That kind of raw passion that you've made your life’s work is amazing. Intimidating even." Karilian threw his arms into the air, grinning. “I’ve been funding our department for a few years now, but your work specifically- I want to see more of it. To spend more time with you.” He leaned in. “If you’re up to it, Egon.”

Money. Money. The sort of thing he was almost always short on, the thing he always blew on bills and studies and maintaining his basement full of irradiated machines that kept countless monsters at bay. He glanced up at the man who’d been making this job at the university truly enjoyable. “…You know what, I think this is a wonderful opportunity. Thank you, Karilian.”

“Edward, please.”

~~~

Sure, the man was fifteen years his senior- what was thirty-five to fifty? They were both hardy. Egon enjoyed their time together greatly, with what all had in common. With what all Karilian offered him, the gracious contributions to his research.

There was more than once when he woke up in the older man's two-story brick home, nursing coffee from a chipped mug and worming cold toes on hardwood at the bedside. He'd always have bruises, the soreness of hair yanked at the scalp, occasionally the mark of a shock collar when Karilian could coax him into wearing one. 

He'd always wonder at how this house managed to be forever cold, but then he'd feel those rough, caring hands on his wide shoulders and the thought would disappear just as quickly as it came, worries picked away by each kiss placed from the nape of his neck to the tender indent if his collarbone. 

He’d say something about leaving for the firehouse, Edward would say something about going with him. The former Ghostbusters would insist that he really had to keep some of his projects privately; his lover would say otherwise.

Karilian was not a man who was particularly fond of the word ‘no.’ Egon was beginning to see why he was twice divorced. If he wanted to study Nordic sacrificial ceremonies, they would. If he wanted to eat at the deli down the street, they would. If Karilian wanted to see the containment unit and his work, he would. If he wanted Egon to wear the collar, he would- whether he wanted to or not, though there never had to be much threatening to make the younger man bend to his will. 

~~~

“I got a new piece, for my collection.” Karilian mentioned as he opened his vehicle to drive Egon home for the evening. 

“Tell me about it?” He has seen Edward’s personal collections of artifacts- many supposedly haunted or cursed- he was fascinated by what they could do, or what it was said they could do. In turn, Egon had shown him the containment unit and Slimer. He trusted Karilian, and it was always curious what the older man had to offer. 

“We’ll stop by my estate, I’ll show you. It’s called a Toltec Skull, something I did quite a bit of reading about before coming across this one at a recent auction in Albany.” Egon took a seat beside him and saw the excited smile on karilian’s face, before putting on a small one himself.

~~~

Egon leaned over Karilian’s shoulder, holding the older man’s arms steady as he fired a very short, carefully concentrated proton stream at the target on the firehouse’s outside wall. He was testing them out, having done some fine tuning- they hadn’t been used in a long time, but he still felt the need to maintain his machines. They were his and Rey’s babies, after all. And he had more free time than he’d ever been used to. 

Edward was wearing one now, the other three hanging off Egon’s back- in his old jumpsuit for the first time in a long time- as they waited their turns, humming softly as they warmed up. It was a very comfortably intimate moment, even with the machinery between them.  
“These things are awfully heavy.” Karilian commented absently as he eased off the trigger and looked where the paint had been blasted away on the target, still smoldering. 

The younger man helped him remove the proton pack, catching it as he undid the buckles. “There’s a lot of power in these machines. The prototypes were much larger, considering that they’re unlicensed nuclear accelerators.” 

Karilian raised an eyebrow at him and smiled. “I know you’re tuning these, but what for? Do you plan on doing something with them?” 

“Just fine tuning. You can stay when I dismantle and clean the mechanisms as well. Clean out any byproduct that’s built up.” Egon shrugged, setting down the equipment and shouldering just one.

This just bought an eyeroll from the older man. "You've always been an ambitious man, Egon. But it's never been aimed at things that could truly be of use. Trapping ghosts and just keeping them there is only a temporary solution, we could put them to use, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"In all the years you've spent capturing, containing, even housing ghosts, you never thought you might need an extra set of hands? Especially since your colleagues left you."

“My friends didn’t leave me Karilian. I’ve told you before. I could contact them any time I wanted.” Egon scowled, shouldering the proton gun before he could even fire it and crossing his arms. “Besides, I have Slimer.” 

“Slimer isn’t incredibly helpful. You know that.” 

“He’s more like… a pet. You know that.” Egon’s fellow professor made an annoyed sound, as if that wasn’t a satisfactory answer. 

“But he’s not useful Egon, he could be useful! You don’t think you should make something of them?” 

“No, Karilian. How would I even accomplish that?”

“I don’t know, but you don’t think you should at least try?” He paced around quickly.  
The younger man looked at the packs and suddenly lost all taste for the bit of Ghostbusters-related work he’d done in the last five years. It wasn’t like he had anything to use them on these days anyway. 

~~~

This shouldn’t have been something that was surprising. Especially not after their last conversation. Yet, he couldn't believe it when he saw it happening in front of his eyes. Egon had been watching Edward Karilian sink into madness for so long, and only now did it hit home, like a sledgehammer to the gut. Especially after their last tense conversation. He was up to his neck, trying to drag the younger man down, and it had never occurred to him until now how deep Karilian truly was. 

Until now, standing at the bottom of the fire station's staircase having been in the middle of cooking breakfast. Two cups of coffee in hand, letting Edward do his morning reading downstairs, where Slimer didn’t like to bother him. He'd come down to find not that, but instead a satchel of traps dangling from his colleague's back, the spare proton gun in his hands- releasing and stealing ghosts from the containment unit. 

"What the HELL do you think you’re doing, Edward?" Egon never used his first name unless the situation was personal and dire. That was more surprising than anything to the older professor. 

Karilian stumbled as he turned, proton gun clattering against the floor as he dropped it. The trap at his feet, directly below the containment unit door he'd been methodically opening and closing, snapped shut with a single flicker of light. He couldn't be ashamed of getting caught, he knew full well what he was doing. He could only be angry and resentful at that disapproving tone.

"I am doing what we've discussed. I'm making it a reality, putting these ghosts to use! Don't act so surprised, Egon.” 

“You can’t keep those safely- you don’t even know how to!”

“I told you, I will find a way- Do you not have any faith in me?” Edward rolled his eyes angrily, dropping the proton pack so it clattered on the grating. 

"Karilian, you have to know people won't stand for this. Ghosts aren't just dangerous. For the most part they used to be human. To say nothing of what demons could do to you." As his lover tried to scramble and pick up the neutrono wand he smacked it away, making himself tall and towering just slightly over the older man. "I want you out of my home. Put the bag down, and leave"

Egon was right. He didn’t have a means of keeping these Ghosts safely- yet. And without the younger man’s help, he was effectively screwed. He needed Egon’s support, and this was the one thing the Ghostbuster wouldn’t budge on. 

Karilian backed away angrily, crossing around and heading towards the stairway, moving stiffly. He had nothing else to say- he’d see Egon at work the next day, for as long as he was able to keep his job. But for now, they were done. He had work to do. 

The young man was left to stare, breathing deeply- still letting it all sink in. He still wasn’t quite sure what would happen next, and he wouldn’t see the result of all this for five years.


End file.
